Negotiations
by OfCourseIAm
Summary: Zoey gets frustrated with Will's lies, and Echo encourages her to negotiate with him. Will/Zoey established relationship.


**A/N: Yaaay now there is a category for Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits! Please enjoy and review!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own these lovely characters, David Wong does.**

* * *

It all started when Will lied to her. Zoey supposed a lot of incidents in her life in the past few years could be described by that sentence. Will Blackwater was a negotiator; lies, cons, and magic flowed from his mouth easier than the truth. Sometimes he would lay beside her and say she was beautiful, and Zoey wondered if he meant it.

He was a frustrating man to love, just for that reason. She trusted he wouldn't betray her, sure. She trusted his heart was in the right place when it came to the Livingston affairs, and hoped it was in the right place when it came to the more intimate Zoey affairs. She'd follow along with the plans he outlined to her, and would follow what he said to do- for she knew that her doing what he said was always part of the real plan, regardless of what he said. And in those cases where she ended up in a very stressful and dangerous (or at least it felt dangerous) situation, due to Will misleading her, he would shrug and say, "I didn't lie. I told you what you needed to know."

This time was different. Zoey's arm was still in a cast from when that damn henchman had snapped it. Will said she'd be safe in the lobby, and to stay there until he finished negotiating with the new head of the Co-Op.

He'd known she wouldn't be safe. The entire plan had depended on her getting hurt somehow.

She'd called Echo into one of the guest rooms, with Echo's favorite tea prepared. Echo sat on the long black coach in a beautiful slinky dress highlighting the body that always made Zoey question why Will liked Zoey instead of Echo, and listened to all the reasons Zoey was upset with him.

Echo said, "It's not easy for him either. He's not exactly used to the truth."

Zoey said, "That's a lousy excuse," and was proud that she didn't shout it like when she'd confronted Will.

Echo took another sip of tea, slowly, and looked back at Zoey. "I get it. You'd rather he be truthful. But you're not a great actress, Zoey, and sometimes his plans need you to make a certain impression in order to work."

Zoey shook her head. "Then he can teach me to act, can't he? Or maybe, I don't know, make a plan that doesn't put me in harm's way?"

"He's doing what he can to keep you and the Livingston estate safe. It's not always an easy job."

"Damn right it's not." Zoey took a long drink of the coffee Carlton had made for her. Well, it had coffee. More than half of it was Baileys.

"Have you talked to him about this?"

"Does yelling count as talking?"

"No wonder he's been drinking more than usual."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Will negotiates, Zoey. So, let him negotiate with you. Find a compromise."

"Will's negotiations consist of twisting everything to suit him. It's great when he's using it to make money for us. It's not so great when it's me vs. him in an argument."

Echo looked into her teacup thoughtfully. "How much do you care about this? Him lying to you, are you willing to give up your relationship for it?"

It was a tough question, and not one Zoey had really thought through. Most of her thoughts had been about how angry she was at Will, not about ending their relationship. After all, she'd worked so hard to get them to this point, and it wasn't like she hadn't known pants-on-fire style lies came out of Will's mouth on an hourly basis.

"No," she said, "Not yet."

Echo said, "Then you can't negotiate with him on an equal floor. You've heard us talk about leverage. You have none. His best option is to fool you into accepting nothing, because you're okay with that."

"I'm not okay with that."

"You just said you'd stay with him."

"So?"

"Why should he take you seriously in any negotiation? He's smarter than you, he knows it. His worst case scenario is that you stay angry at him a little longer, and Will is no stranger to people being angry at him. I'm sure he has a mental list of all the ways to redeem himself, should he feel the need. His best case scenario is that he walks away knowing that he can lie to you however much he wants, and you won't do anything about it."

"So you're saying I need to break up with him."

"I'm saying you need to be willing to, if you want any of this to change. Once you are willing to break up, he has reason to take you seriously." Echo set her teacup down on the table and stood. "Is that enough for you to think about?"

Zoey nodded, and Echo drifted away. Zoey sat on the couch for a long while after that, staring across the room at the four poster bed with luxurious covers. She hadn't chosen this room just because she liked the couch. It was the first room she'd slept with Will in. Not slept like, you know, sex, that had taken a while before Will stopped feeling like a pervert. She'd gotten him to talk with her for hours and hours on that bed, and then at the end told him about the nightmares she'd been having about Molech, and please would he stay with her so she could feel safe? She'd hoped to see something under the suit, even an undershirt, but he didn't even take the jacket off. The next morning he grumbled about it getting wrinkled.

"Would you like more tea?" Carlton had returned.

"No thanks," Zoey said. "But do you know where Will is?"

Carlton did. It was nice, being able to locate her boyfriend whenever she wanted.

Zoey gathered Stench Machine in the arm without a cast and strode purposefully through Casa De Zoey, stopping in front of the conference room Carlton had said Will was sitting in, completely alone. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, steeling herself, and pushed the door open with a bang. "I'm willing to break up if my demands are not met," she announced, and opened her eyes to see Will's reaction.

Will, at the head of the table, stared at her without expression- the same type of lack of expression he had when someone was pointing a gun at his head. Andre had burst out into laughter so vigorously Zoey thought he might run out of air. Echo, sitting on Will's other side, had closed her eyes just like when a computer she'd programmed had started spitting obscenities at Zoey. Budd was blissfully missing, but she was sure he'd hear about it later.

Zoey closed her eyes, and opened them again. Nope, still there. Her eyes landed on the glass next to Will. It was empty. Carlton hadn't been here for a while, so Andre and Echo must have joined him in the meantime.

The Suits would be extremely displeased if after all of their hard efforts to keep her alive, Zoey died from embarrassment, but she thought she might anyway.

Will said, "I think Zoey and I should talk alone."

"No, no," Andre said, still laughing. "I'd love to hear this one."

"I'd prefer you not. Could you leave?"

"What's the fun in that?"

Echo said, "We'll leave you two alone," and stood. She picked up her tablet and walked around the table to grab Andre's arm. "Let's go, Andre."

"Come oooon," Andre moaned. "I can't miss this, Echo! Showdown of the century!"

Zoey was relieved that he still allowed Echo to drag him out of the door on the other side of the room.

Will gave the empty glass a look that suggested he would rather it not be empty, and rang the bell for Carlton. He gestured at Carlton to the empty glass, and Carlton, accordingly, took it away to be refilled and closed the door behind him.

Will asked, "What are your demands?"

Echo was wrong. Zoey still wasn't in control of this situation. Will sat at the table, with that impassive scary friendly face he used in all negotiations, even ones threatening Zoey's life, and Zoey stood clutching her cat just like she had when she'd first arrived and was trying to understand what was going on.

Zoey said, "I don't want you to lie to me anymore."

Carlton entered with another glass of scotch, setting it beside Will and promptly leaving through the other door. Will immediately took a drink.

Will said, "I have only lied to you in cases of necessity."

"There's never any necessity to lie to your girlfriend."

"One could argue, likely unsuccessfully, that in a typical relationship, there is not. You and I, however, encounter many atypical scenarios."

Zoey could already feel herself floundering. This was what she'd expected. Will was just talking, and she was just falling into step in his game. "If you don't agree to stop lying to me, I'm willing to break up."

Will took another drink. "Echo taught you a bit about negotiation, didn't she? You can't reveal to your opponent that you don't like your BATNA, Zoey, it gives them even more power."

"What's a BATNA?"

"Best Alternative To Negotiated Agreement. Your BATNA is to break up with me, but you find it unsatisfactory. You shouldn't have addressed it if you weren't willing to resort to it."

"I am willing to resort to it, I just said so."

"You're willing to break up, but you don't want to. If we come to any agreement at all, you won't do it." Will took another drink. "If you'd said you were going to break up, rather than willing to, you might've done better."

Sometimes Zoey wondered why she'd gone after this man, of all people. She could've probably gotten anyone. She still could, actually, given she was rich now. Some funny, super hot, agreeable man who would protect her and worship the ground she walked on.

He was already talking like she'd lost. She might've done better? It was like their negotiation was in the past, and he was presenting an assessment of her performance. "This isn't over yet."

Will smiled. "You're right. A negotiation isn't over until both parties are satisfied with the results."

"Or at least until they think they're satisfied." Zoey filled in the rest of the statement with how Will worked. Because that was what he was going for with her right now. If she didn't think it was over, it wasn't over. It would only be over when he got her to feel like she'd won.

"When mutual satisfaction cannot be attained, yes."

"All I want is a normal relationship. With, you know, a truthful boyfriend, and love that I know is real."

"The vast majority of people spend their lives lying to others, lying to themselves, and being lied to. A normal relationship contains all three of those factors, and often little else."

"Geez, you're an optimist."

Will said, "Understanding how people work is part of my job." He tapped a couple times on his tablet, and the projector turned on. "I took the liberty of researching the top ten traits desirable in a male partner. Most of these people are likely striving for the normal relationship you referred to."

Zoey sighed. Of course. Will told her that too. Always do your research, and see if you can out-fact your opponent. She turned towards the screen, and waited.

"The website seemed to provide a brief list that agreed with other sources. The first trait is being an active listener, which I don't think I need to provide evidence for unless you don't know what that means. The second trait is sexual skills, which you have yet to note a complaint on."

Zoey crossed her arms, and Will's eyes flickered towards her.

Will continued, "The third trait is commitment, which I've also demonstrated. Fourth, taking care of appearance- I dress better than you, so clearly that's not a problem. Fifth is empathy and expressing concern, which… I'm working on." He paused, and Zoey couldn't help but smile. "Sixth is a sense of humor, which you've also yet to complain about. Seventh is interest in learning, which I think you'd need to catch up on before critiquing my status on it. Eighth is generosity, and I think I indulge you enough to qualify for that. It's only ninth that you get honest communication, the subject of this conversation, and tenth is kindness, which is hardly applicable given the nature of my work for you."

Will tapped another button on the table, and the projector turned off. "As you could calculate, I have clearly demonstrated five of these traits, have yet to be criticized on my performance of three of them, and one is not applicable. Eight of nine traits of an ideal male partner hardly warrants ending a relationship." He looked up at her expectantly, and smiled.

Zoey said, "I'm sure if you hadn't chosen the list that flattered you the most, you'd notice that honesty is one of the most important ones."

Will said, "I already tell the truth when I can. When I can't, well, no amount of negotiation will change that." There was a moment, then, when Will hesitated, and in only a second he shrunk from Will Blackwater, the Magician, to the man that Zoey saw only when they were alone together. "I have only been dishonest when necessitated to do my job. Not… I haven't lied about our personal affairs."

Of course it would be best for Will to show some vulnerability, to ignite sympathy in his opponent. Zoey's heart warmed at the reassurance that at least when they were together, when they were sweaty and intertwined and Will said sweet things she hadn't dreamed he really meant, that he meant them. But making her feel fuzzy and want to kiss him would absolutely serve Will's current goals, so she couldn't even trust that he really meant that.

Zoey said, "I hate trying to date you."

Will frowned and leaned back in his chair. For a few moments he was silent. "That's certainly… something to consider then," he said slowly, and broke eye contact. He paused, and took another drink. He looked back up at her, his eyes back to that fathomless negotiating look they took on. Not unfriendly, not friendly, just focused. "Would you like to tell me more about that? Because that seems important."

"That's it. How am I supposed to date you when at any given moment, you could just be trying to con me? When we're alone you say nice things, but they could just be some investment in the future or whatever, and when we're with other people, it's like we're not even a thing."

Will said, "Professionality is extremely important, especially in a workplace."

Zoey said, "Once you're fucking your boss, professionality has eloped with your right to hate cats."

"That… doesn't even make sense. But if it matters to you, I can attempt to show some small amount of affection within trusted groups of people."

"Attempt?"

Will said, "It won't come naturally."

"Well, we'll work on it then. Can you stop lying to me too? Because that's the biggie that makes me hate dating you."

"Would it be sufficient to inform you when I'm being dishonest in a professional context? It's unnecessary in personal contexts, as I will not be dishonest in those cases."

"So like, you tell me what the plan is and then tell me that not all of that was necessarily true?"

"Yes."

"Won't that just make me super nervous about if I'm going to die?"

Will said, "I wouldn't put you in a situation where you would die. Or get severely injured."

Zoey pointed to her arm.

Will said, "A broken arm is hardly severe. And I expected less. More like a bruise, or a sprain."

"Wow, I feel so much better. Only unexpected broken bones."

"Listen to me, Zoey. The vast majority of the time, no one will be getting anything broken. But when you need to be kept in the dark, you'll just need to trust me and follow the plan. The best I can do is tell you that's what you're doing."

Zoey said, "Really, that's the best you can do?"

Will said, "Negotiations include compromises on both sides."

At least now he was treating her somewhat like an equal. Zoey filed that in her brain for the future. Apparently her leverage with Will was talking about how miserable he was to be with.

"Okay," she said. "I guess that's acceptable."

Will said, "Good. Have all of your demands been met?"

"Yeah."

"You should go tell Andre, I'm sure he's been on the edge of his seat ever since your dramatic entrance."

Zoey groaned. "Carlton told me you were alone, okay?"

"Carlton hadn't been here for an hour."

"Well, I know that now."

Will said, "You might've wanted to verify the validity of your intel before you stormed in with your eyes closed."

"Oh my god, I didn't mean to embarrass you or whatever. Can we forget about this now?"

"Sure, whenever you leave me to do work."

Zoey said, "Jeez, you'd think I wasn't your boss. Your room or random guest room tonight?"

"Random guest room." Will's eyes had already returned to his tablet in preparation for Zoey's exit.

Zoey said, "Cool, I'm feeling 69 tonight." As Will slowly looked up she added, "Room number, of course. Room 69." She winked once his eyes were fully locked on her. "But maybe the other kind too."

"Right," Will said. "I'll see you up there."

It was a more lackluster reaction than Zoey had wanted, but no matter. Room 69 was her favorite room, since Arthur Livingston had made that one especially lavish. She could go upstairs long before Will would show up, and get everything perfectly set. Mood lighting, aphrodisiacs, scotch, everything to make Will a bit more enthusiastic about that 69 concept.

After all, she and Will had some fantastic makeup sex coming.

* * *

 _3 months later_

"Your main job, through all of this, is to keep looking calm and in control. Like you haven't a care in the world." Will finished explaining the plan to her.

Zoey said, "Got it. Do you think this suit looks alright?" She gestured towards herself in the mirror, turning to examine all her angles. Damn, her ass looked good.

"It works. About the plan…" Will paused, and Zoey met his eyes in the reflection of the mirror. "Not all of that was true."

Zoey said, "That doesn't make me feel very confident about the plan."

"The full plan is practically foolproof. But I'm just being truthful about being untruthful about giving you the whole plan."

"Great." Zoey turned around, and looped her hands around Will's neck. She bounced up on her toes and kissed him solidly on the lips, adding just enough tongue that she felt him sigh when she pulled back. "Now you have to make sure I live through today, so we can continue that later."

Will said, "I already ensured you'd live through today."

Zoey decided she didn't want to know what that meant, and strode towards the doors of her closet. "Good. It's showtime."

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 **A/N:I learned the phrase "BATNA" and some of Will's negotiating knowledge from the book "Getting to Yes: Negotiating Without Giving In" by Roger Fisher and William Ury, though I understand the term is common among negotiators today.**

 **Please let me know what you thought!**


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